1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a container for a dental X-ray film package for containing therein a dental X-ray film package upon X-ray photographing of a tooth.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When an X-ray photograph of a tooth is taken, a dental X-ray film package is used wherein an X-ray film is enclosed in a packaging member or cover which transmits an X-ray but does not transmit a visible ray therethrough. An exemplary one of such conventional dental X-ray film packages will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings.
The dental X-ray film package shown includes a packaging member or cover 1 made of an opaque flexible material such as a synthetic resin. The cover 1 transmits an X-ray but does not transmit a visible ray therethrough. An X-ray film 2 is enclosed in the cover 1.
When an X-ray photograph of a tooth is to be taken, the dentist inserts the dental X-ray film package into the oral cavity of a patient and contacts it with the tooth for an object of photographing, and then an X-ray is irradiated from the opposite side of the dental X-ray film package. Consequently, an X-ray latent image of the tooth is produced on the X-ray film 2. The dentist then takes out the dental X-ray film package from the oral cavity of the patient, breaks the cover 1 either in a dark room or in a camera, takes out the X-ray film 2 from the cover 1 and effects development of the X-ray film 2. As a result, a visible X-ray image of the tooth for an object of photographing is produced on the X-ray film 2. The dentist will thus conduct diagnosis and/or treatment depending upon the X-ray image on the X-ray film.
Again, when an X-ray photograph is to be taken, the dentist makes a series of operations to insert a dental X-ray film package into the oral cavity of a patient, take out the dental X-ray film package from the oral cavity, and break the cover 1 and take our the X-ray film from the cover 1 in order to develop the X-ray film as described above. It cannot be avoided, therefore, that saliva of the patient attaching in a large amount of the dental X-ray film package attaches also to the dentist. Such attachment of saliva not only makes the dentist feel disagreeable but also may possibly cause such a trouble that, in case the dentist has a wound at a tooth thereof, a virus in the saliva may invade via the wound so that the dentist himself or herself may fall ill.